Write a Letter to Your Child (FREE Printable)

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Hey there! I'm Jessica. I think that motherhood should be savored, like a good piece of chocolate. But sometimes it feels like more duty than delight. Am I right? I'm working to change that. Read more about me here and this blog here.

Writing a letter to your child can be a unique way to express your love and affection. While they might not “get it” now, it can be a good communication tool over time.

In the last month, I’ve been struck at how quickly time is passing. I looked at these ornaments again and got teary eyed. They were so little, and now they are so big! Yet, it seems like just yesterday that we had those photos taken.

Time, it is a passing. Quickly.

And while these gifts and these gifts are very cool and will make my kids happy come Christmas morning, I’m looking at giving them a different kind of gift:

A letter

I know, sounds corny. Sounds like something I would have rolled my eyes at when I was a kid. But, I’m going to do it anyway. I’m writing each of my kids a letter, telling them what wells up in my heart. I want them to have tangible evidence of what I feel, even if my actions don’t always show proof.

My parents both did the same for me from time to time. Not necessarily at Christmas, but I can recall distinct occasions when they put onto paper things what I might not have heard in their words or seen in their actions.

Write a letter to your child, expressing your love and gratitude. Tell him or her all the things that you feel, that you assume he or she already knows, that he probably doesn’t actually know.

Chances are your letter will sound different addressed to a fourteen-year old than it will to a seven-year old. I know mine do. But, while I want him to “get” it when he’s old and gray, the present is for now. Whether they last that long, who knows? But, at least I’m trying, right?

While it may feel goofy, chances are our words, if sincere, will be more valuable than anything else we put under the tree.

I’ve put together a printable holiday-themed letterhead for you to print as well as some prompts in case you (or I) are tongue-tied. Download it today, print copies for each kid, and then spend some time looking at baby books, listening to quiet music, and tell them how you really feel.

We try so hard to buy our kids the things that will make them happy. But, really, I think most kids, most people, just want to know that they are loved and accepted.

Now, that’s a Christmas gift.

Be on the lookout for installments of A Simpler Season each week, from now until New Year’s.

Want to plan a fabulous holiday? A Simpler Season holds almost everything you need to do just that.This guide to planning the winter holidays provides creative ideas , time-saving tips, and budget-minded inspiration for making the most of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. With the busy family in mind, I’ve provided recipes, to-do lists, children’s activity sheets, planning pages, gift ideas, and step-by-step tutorials for creating homemade gifts. Grab your copy today.

How ’bout YOU?

Do you communicate to your kids in different ways? Did you parents write letters to you?

About Jessica Fisher

I believe you can get great meals on the table -- and still keep that pretty smile on your face.

Comments

I love your idea and this is why…..Last August when my much grown son’s birthday rolled around, I decided to write him a letter. For some reason my heart was full and it seemed like it was something “I” needed. He is a quiet, private person with a family of his own and yet…..he was so choked up and said it was the best gift. My only regret is that I hadnt thought to do it much sooner.

I LOVE this idea. My baby is 10 months old and I’ve been writing him a letter every month to tell him what he’s doing, what we’re doing as a family, and how I feel about him. I put them in sheet protectors in a binder. I may not be able to keep it up once a month indefinitely, and I know he won’t appreciate it until he’s much older, but I hope when he has a family of his own he can read the letters and look back and smile.

My husband and I starting writing letters to our children after my mother-in-law passed away. As my husband and his siblings were going through her belongings, they came upon letters that she had written to each of them. My husband told me that it was so comforting to see her written words and to read her advice and why she was so proud of him. There are days when he will re-read the letter and he still feels comfort from her words. From that point on, we made a decision to write letters to our children and while we have done it a few times already, your email was a reminder to continue with the tradition!

Hi! I'm Jessica. I want to help YOU get great meals on the table -- and keep that pretty smile on your face.Read more here.

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